Morning journal and courier., 1887-06-14
C0RREsP0NDENCE.

JACKSON.
 CORRESPONDENCE
 The Burning of the opera Comique in
 Paris-The Irresponsible Frenchmen
 olitics-Boulanger.
 PARIS, May 27. To the Editor of the JOURNAL COURIER:
 On the 18th of May, fifteen days ago, Mr. Steenackers, deputy from one of the de- partments in the western part of France, said substantially as follows in the course of a speech against the ministry: "To-day the Opera Comique has four hundred and fifty artists and artisans in it's employment, and they have only space of two hundred and sixty-six square meters in which to perform their duties. This space too is further occu- pied by the scenes and all other theatrical appurtenances. All the passage ways are very narrow and are more or less blocked up There is but one exit from the stage and that by crooked staircase through narrow door. In case of fire breaking out during an intermission the danger would be still greater, for the dressing rooms are very small, are arranged in seven tiers, one above the other each side of the stage, and are only connected by one very narrow and very steep staircase of one hundred and seventy
 
 and would serve as chimney to the flames. The only communication between the sides is on the top story and by two wooden bridges not over sixty centimeters wide, &c.. &c." To these remarks M. Berthelot, minis ter of public instruction and of the fine arts, and whose department has charge of all the aters supported by the State, the Opera Co mique being one of them, replied: "I have already occupied myself with the subject propounded. I have examined the theater in question and find that in case of fire, though the spectators could all get out, the actors and supernumeraries could not possi- ply do SO. And it is of the nature of g theater to burn up, no theater has ever failed to burn up, terrible catastrophe will sooner or later occur. The question is an ] important one and one worthy the considera- | ton of the government and of the House of Deputies" Two days ago the catastrophe | did occur, and according to the Figaro al- ! ready over fifty bodies have been taken out | of the ruins The exact number of victims | will probably never be known; as it is one | of the features of French government not | to let the people know the particular things they want to know and are entitled to know. | The circumstances of this terrible calaml- | ty are so thoroughly French that they may be taken ep1tomizing concurrent French l history. Every Frenchman is so occupied in | finding fault with his neighbor and in teach 1 ing him what to do that he has no time left | l Steenackers, whose home is way off in the Jura Mountains, became in some way &C., l quainted with the condition of the Opera 1 Comique. His knowledge gave him a capi- tai opportunity of pitching into the minis try, and he availed himself of it to his satis- faction and undoubtedly to the satisfaction of his constituents. As to doing anything in the premises, having g committee ap
 pointed to inquire into the facts of the case | or insisting upon performances in the thea
 ter being stopped till life could be rendered secure you may be sure that nothing of the
 kind entered M. Steenackers' French head ir spite of his German name. As to M. Der
 thelot's position, if he were to express him
 self sincerely he would probably say that he
 was in no way responsible; that the respon
 sibility rested on the Prefect de Ia Seine; or
 the chief of police; on the fire department
 or on anybody but himself. It is apparently
 not the duty of any living Frenchman to dc
 anything that is wise, prudent, patriotic, un ! selfish or useful.
 | One of these days, and it can't be fa 1 away, a confagration will break out whict
 will involve the whole of France, and wher it is over the surviving Frenchman will say
 to his surviving neighbors: 1T told you so;
 and pride himself on his prophetic wisdom l About ten days ago the ministry was defeat
 ed on a very unimportant financial question
 and since then France has been without | ministry simply because enough men of on
 way of thinking can't be found to constitute one. Instead of there being two dominan parties in other countries, there are a
 least six about equally represented ln tn ) House of Deputies. One party calls itsel , the party of the Opportunists. That is party protesting no political principles what
 soever, but simply looking out for opportu
 mites of self advancement. The only tim l it seems possible to secure a majority in tn House is when there is a ministry to be un 1o1. hno off iSo 1c tional animal in comparison with France a 3 she is behaving herself at present. To t person with French sympathies it is terribl sad to see a people so highly endowed in ott CT ways so utterly lacking in self-control an ' self-government
 , Y, Another thing cannot fail to strike tn l observer and that is the change in the indi l yidual Frenchman. He is surly; he is cross he is no longer afable or hospitable. H I does not want to see you. He won't see 70 l ! if he can help it. He thinks everyone mus f be his enemy. He has grudge against you ! Your old acquaintances are so cold that 70 l fear you must have unintentionally oHende
 them, but you find that your experience !. the experience of every stranger. A French officials whom one has to meet ar ] especially surly. They will scowl; and un less you address them in the precise Frenc ! terms of the particular matter they will af q feet not to understand you, and will reply i
 
 , 1 to understand them. No wonder American
 are giving up Paris and are hocking to Lon don The depression extends through an a through all French life. The theaters al - not at all up to the mark. At the Gran
 Opera the other night the representation (
 Faust was abominable. Marguerite was
 fat, crisseyed old woman. Mephistophelt 5 was 0 ponderous chap with a numbering ga l. 1 and numbering voice, and the dancing - the Walpurgis nacht was so poor that peop l were driven away in disgust. With reco
 lections in one's mind of the manner @ which the scene was presented when Napol t on III was on the throne disappointment WI t intense.
 Q The French idol for the day is Gener Boulanger. He is about forty-fve, of med 6 um size and height, has large crop of re, '- dish hair and beard, and if his looks do n' :, belle him is a conceited poppinjay. A ms !, with such face and head can't be a gre man, and yet many Frenchmen think him j. very great man and the destined savior j. the nation. He was minister of war, b, = had to go out with the others. The questic Q being most animatedly discussed by u
 French newspapers is whether new mini l. try can be formed without him. The Cor l. servatives are opposed to him. They fea if him. but he wants war and is sufficient of a lunatic to think that France is ready for He is continually making bombastic speech
 of the Ca Berlin" order. He rides hug
 black horse and likes to show himself in u IS "Bois." There must be at least dozen DO d traits of him in the Salon. If he were on n a Grant or Sheridan there might be ,s hope for this unhappy country, but vii '' l iOooYn,,atanav and c0ncait